1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical transmission method and system for carrying data transmission with use of optical fiber. More particularly, it concerns an optical transmission method and system preferable in high-speed data transmission to a long distance.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Prior arts related to the optical transmission system include, for example, the technique disclosed in the Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open 3-296334.
However, it is demanded to accomplish an optical transmission system operating at further higher speed since development of the modern information society has increased long-distance communication traffic in recent years. Also, it is desired that the optical transmission system can transmit data to further longer distance without repeat in view of reliability and cost of the system.
Furthermore, the number of fields to which an optical transmission system is applied has been increased with the recent development of the information society. For the reason, it is needed to accomplish the optical transmission system having a variety of functions and capacities to satisfy specific requirements.
In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide an optical transmission system constructing method capable of easily constructing an optical transmission method and system depending on required functions and capacities.
Briefly, the foregoing object is accomplished in accordance with aspects of the present invention by an optical transmission system. The optical transmission system is characterized in constructing a line terminal having multiplexing means for multiplexing signals and demultiplexing means for demultiplexing the multiplexed signal so that to serve as a transmitter, the line terminal is selectively capable of implementing either a first combination of an electric-to-optic converter circuit for converting the electric signal multiplexed by the multiplexing means to a transmission light with an optical fiber amplifier for amplifying the transmitting light before feeding into an optical transmission medium or electric-to-optic converting means having a semiconductor optical amplifier for converting the electric signal multiplexed by the multiplexing means to a transmission light before feeding an optical transmission line. The optical transmission system also is characterized in constructing the line terminal so that to serve as a receiver, the line terminal is selectively capable of implementing either a second combination of an optical fiber amplifier for amplifying a receiving light from an optical transmission medium with an optic-to-electric converter circuit for converting the amplified receiving light to electric signal before feeding to the demultiplexing means or an optic-to-electric converting means for converting the received light from the optical transmission medium to electric signal before feeding to the demultiplexing means with an avalanche photodiode used as light receiver.
Also, the optical transmission system is characterized in constructing the optical transmission system for use as a longdistance optical transmission system, a plurality of the line terminals having the first combination to serve as the transmitter and the second combination to serve as the receiver implemented therein each are connected to the optical transmission medium through a single or a plurality of repeaters inserted in the optical transmission medium for multiplying the optical light signal on the optical transmission medium.
Further, the optical transmission system is characterized in constructing the optical transmission system for use as a shortdistance optical transmission system, the plurality of the line terminals having the electric-to-optic converting means having a semiconductor optical amplifier therein to serve as the transmitter and the optic-to-electric converting means having the avalanche photodiode used as the light receiver to serve as the receiver implemented therein each are directly connected to the optical transmission line.
The optical transmission system constructing method of the present invention enable an easy construction of any of the long-distance an short-distance optical transmission system only by selecting desired types of the transmitters and receivers to be implemented to change the combinations of the units. This is because the line terminal is constructed so that to serve as the transmitter, the line terminal is selectively capable of implementing either the first combination of an electric-to-optic converter circuit for converting the electric signal multiplexed by the multiplexing means to the transmission light with an optical fiber amplifier for amplifying the transmitting light before feeding into an optical transmission medium or electric-to-optic converting means having the semiconductor optical amplifier for converting the electric signal multiplexed by the multiplexing means to the transmission light before feeding an optical transmission line, and that to serve as the receiver, the line terminal is selectively capable of implementing either the second combination of an optical fiber amplifier for amplifying the receiving light from an optical transmission medium with an optic-to-electric converter circuit for converting the amplified receiving light to electric signal before feeding to the demultiplexing means or an optic-to-electric converting means for converting the received light from the optical transmission medium to electric signal before feeding to the demultiplexing means with an avalanche photodiode used as light receiver.
The foregoing and other objects, advantages, manner of operation and novel features of the present invention will be understood from the following detailed description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.